• Journal of East Asia Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-49
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• 2020

In an intensively competitive global market, small-and medium-sized firms are puzzled about how to develop sustainable competitive advantages against global rivalries, thus leading satisfactory economic performance. However, despite the roles and contributions of such small-and medium-sized firms in the local community and national economies in Japan, little guidance has been offered to the practical issues related to their strategic behaviors toward global management. To fill this notable knowledge gap, this study aims to investigate the conditions in which how Japanese small-and medium-sized could dominates global market, which is one of key challenges in the literature of small business and entrepreneurship. To obtain better insights to this research area, this study undertakes an in-depth interview survey with I.S.T (Industrial Summit Technology) Corporation that shows off the highest global market share (40 per cent) with seamless polyimide tube product widely used in office automation equipment (e.g., copiers and printers). This method of survey is designed to deeply understand historical considerations about how I.S.T Corporation could dominate in the global market of such seamless polyimide tube product. Based on findings drawn from an interview, this study identifies five major factors enabling I.S.T Corporation to be a competitive global hidden company: vision sharing through founder's entrepreneurship, core competence, strategic network, risk management, and employee engagement. Specifically, to become a global hidden champion, sharing the vision motivating employees to partake in shaping company's future will be the first step on the road to global success through founder's entrepreneurship. However, in order to achieve such a vision, the importance of company's core competence cannot be overemphasized, which differentiates your customer solution with those of competitors. As such, a group of experts will be naturally formed and demonstrates your expertise in the global market, thereby building sustainable competitiveness. On the other hand, to maintain sustainable competitiveness, it is necessary to make up for the weaknesses small-and medium-sized firms suffer from competitive resources while strengthening their own strengths through strategic networks with external organizations. Here, every company has to understand the critical role of risk management, which is essential in this process of being global company so as not to lose your own strengths. Last but not least, do not forget the significant effects of employee engagement in firm performance. To enhance employees' engagement, a company has to create an ideal organization culture which fits into company's history and personality. In doing so, such organization culture can allow the vision and strategy to be implemented into detailed business tactics while facilitating employees to challenge the status quo by experimenting with creative ideas.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.99-119
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• 2007

This research probes into the execution of small and medium-sized enterprises' value creativities by a difference analysis with different classifications, different capital, different turnover, different employees, and different established years. This study develop a questionnaire about value creativity with five dimensions and thirty-five items according to "Valuation" by McKinsey and Company, Inc. and Copeland et al., such as: "Aspiration and target," "Portfolio management," "Organization design," "Process management," and "Business and individual performance management." The results are as follows: (1) Most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have executed value creativities; (2) There is a difference in the execution of value creativities between the livelihood industry and the chemical industry; the execution of value creativities by livelihood industry is better than the chemical industry; (3) For value creativities of the execution of different capital and turnover for SMEs, bigger entities are better than smaller ones; (4) For the value creativities of the execution of different numbers of staff in SMEs, those with more staff are better than those with fewer staff; (5) For the value creativities of the execution of different established years for SMEs, those established longer are better than those established shorter.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.12
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• pp.227-245
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• 2003

In this paper, it is indicated that, currently, foundation of small and medium businesses is generally increasing in number, but the establishment of manufacturing companies is very slow. This is because of many factors interfering with promotion of the opening of small and medium businesses such as endless bakruptcies of the businesses and uncertain perspective. Therefore, it will be expected to encourage people to start business and activate establishment of small and medium sized manufacturing companies by improving tax support systems and providing tax support information services for founed companies and foundation supporting companies.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.137-145
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• 2016

To promote the efficiency of production process of small and medium sized company, government conducts production information business that collects and analyzes information of production field automatically and helps process' controlling and supervising by supporting costs of purchase, installment, etc. of hard-software and network related to middle and small sized company intending e-Manufacturing of production field with computer and information & communication network. As a result, the number of middle and small sized companies that introduce and manage production information system is increased. Therefore, the purposes of this research are to arrange contents of production information system introduced to solve current problems of middle and small sized companies and analyze effects of small and middle sized companies' introduction through example companies.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.53-68
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• 2018

This paper analyzes comparatively business performance indicators and determinants of small and medium sized shipping logistics companies in Korea, using 2015 economic census data. For this purpose, this study estimates various business performance indicators according to 2015 small and medium sized companies classification standards, including operating income to sales and gross value-added to sales. In addition, this study analyzes determinants of business performance using generalized least squares models. The results indicate that average sales, operating income and value-added, sales and operating income per worker, operating income to sales, and material cost to sales of large sized companies are higher than those of small and medium sized companies. The business performance indicators differ by industry and size. Moreover, the determinants of business performance are analyzed in terms of the unemployment rate (-), number of employees (-), sales (+), labor cost ratio (+), and labor cost per employee (-) and the impacts of the individual explanatory variables based on elasticity are different. Finally, this quantitative information could be used to improve the business performance of domestic shipping logistics companies.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.113-125
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• 2017

In today's highly competitive environment, the importance of technology protection cannot be overemphasized. To evaluate technology protection competency of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SMEs), Government has conducted surveys every year but its effectiveness is still in question. To enhance the effectiveness of technology protection for SMEs, a customized evaluation model of technology protection competency has been suggested in this study. Surveys are conducted to measure the relative importance of evaluation areas that can be influenced by the size and type of business. The analysis shows that there exists significant differences between evaluation areas. This study suggests that the effectiveness of technology protection can be enhanced by utilizing a customized evaluation model depending on the size and type of business. Also, the proposed model can be used for SMEs to identify and enhance their weakness in technology protection. Overall, it is expected that the proposed model can be effectively used to protect valuable technologies in various SMEs.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.153-172
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• 2005

This study develops an exploratory model to evaluate the relationship between origins of corporate competencies and business performance, which targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan, analyzes 36 competence items in four functional dimensions: marketing, product design and development, manufacturing, and human resources management. The results from 760 valid samples from managers of Taiwan's SMEs reveal that in marketing competence and manufacturing competence were ranked high by Taiwan's SMEs managers. Elements contributed to manufacturing competence regarding reducing the number of suppliers has not been emphasized by Taiwan's SMEs managers. At the very top of the prevailing management competitive priority list are: (1) product or service quality, (2) timely delivery, (3) quality control improvement during the process, (4) increasing reliability of transportation, (5) introduction of new concepts and continuous improvement, and (6) improving after-sale services. The four competence dimensions are found highly correlated to business performance, which reflects the policy adjustments that Taiwan's small and medium-sized enterprises have made in the changing business environment to respond to the global market.

• Korean small business review
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.1-46
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• 2020

Since its inception in 1979, 174 research papers on international business have been published in "Asia Pacific Journal of Small Business." In this paper, those literatures on international business of small/medium-sized enterprises and venture companies were reviewed and critically assessed. In this respect, research papers on international business were analyzed in the order of author, publication year, detailed research area, research method and main arguments and implications. Based on the data, this paper summarizes how frequently international business papers have been published, what detailed topics of international business have been covered, what research methods have been adopted, and which of the papers in each detailed research area of international business have special meanings. In addition, based on the results of analysis, this paper also drew suggestions on what efforts and changes should be made in future researches on international business activities of small/medium-sized enterprises and venture companies.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Information Technology Applications Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.365-368
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• 2005

While the goal of new IT adoption in small and medium sized firms is to choose an optimal system to fit with their own environments and conditions, that of IT post-adoption usage is to fully implement new IT and maximize their benefits from it. Therefore, the decision-making environments of new IT adoption is definitely different from those of post-adoption. Also, The direct experience of IT usage can provide some learning effect and the change of users' beliefs on new IT. From this point of view, this study attempts to figure out the differences of influencing factors on IOS usage intention between adopters and non-adopters. The results show that there are clear differences of influencing factors between two groups. Non-adopter group shows that perceived financial cost and ability of use have significant influences on IOS usage intention, while relative advantage and perceived risk in adopter group have statistically significant influences on post-adoption usage of IOS.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2014

Purpose: To reinforce the product competitiveness of Korean small and medium-sized business in the world market. Methods: By clarifying the definition of a masterpiece, developing global masterpiece quality index(MQI) equipped with checklists, surveying several companies and customers, and analyzing the results of the survey via the MQ zone diagram. Results: The results of the survey show the gap between Korean small and medium-sized business and global masterpiece companies in terms of MQI. From this analysis, in order for the surveyed Korean companies to be the world-class ones, the managerial aspects to be improved could be clearly pointed out through the measurement indices. Conclusion: This research would provide Korean small and medium-sized companies, which wish to get on the global masterpiece level, with an objective guideline.